Ammastor

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Posts posted by Ammastor

  1. Posted

    That is a good way to do it.

     

    Like I said it depends on your market.   I wanted to increase my prices a little on Amazon but I am getting so many sales I don't want to mess up what I have.  What I lose on the smaller decals (because I offer free shipping on everything)  I make up when someone buys say a 10" - 16" inch decal.  20" decals I make out on but my profit is withing the 10" - 16" range.  As my 20" some people said were under the price they should be.   20" (any decal) $18.99 Free Shipping.  Again it comes back to the market you are trying to sell to. 

     

    Around town here and yes my friends I charge way more then I do online.  Simply because everyone is looking for a deal online.  In the home area people are willing to pay more.  

    1. Because most know you (small town thing)

    2. they need something specialty (usually)

    3. May only have a few a week (if any)

     

    Number 3 is a big one that you have to think about.   You may only have a few from your town that need work done at any given time.   While online you have millions looking (thousands a day) and ready to buy what they want or like.

    Like I mentioned people are looking for a deal online.   I give them a deal (promotions work well) and get buyers.   At this current time I sell any where between 70 - 100 decals a week online.   At home maybe 4-5 a week.  But are usually larger jobs.   So give people the online deals for a steady flow of traffic and sales and do the larger jobs as specialty jobs around town.  It slowly builds itself.   I started only selling like 2-3 decals a day online. and now 8 - 15 a day.  Sometimes more (sales spikes).  If I remember correctly my busiest day was 46 orders.  Some were return customers and others were new but ordered multiples decals.   So that 46 order turned out to be around 73 decals if I remember correctly.  That was just one day.  Took a while to get there but it all pays my bills and covers supplies and gives me enough to save some for future purchases.

     

    OK I prolly went into more then I should have but.   The market in your area will set your prices once you figure out what they are, what people are willing to spend, if it a business that NEEDS the work done, or is it a average working joe that WANTS his name on his redneck truck.

     

    Either way the prices varies in what people want to pay.  You find the median and you found the sweet spot.  Cut Weed and pocket the doe.

     

    Any of all that make sense?

    • Like 1

  2. Posted

    I use Oracle 651. And my lowest price is $5 for a 6 inch. And from there the price goes up. I have 8 sizes i generally make them in and the price is always close to on the dollar to the inches stated.

    But it also depends on your market. Some places people may pay almoat double the same decal that soneone would normally pay 5 bucks for. Fairs and such are known for ridiculous pricing. I sell my 6 inch decals at the local fair for around 8 bucks while there are other there that sell for 10. I tend to make more then the other stand and I dont have to ship anything. But online and around town. 1 buck an inch.

    • Like 1

  3. Posted

    Thanks for the link I checked it out and while I was on there spotted some printer cutter combos.   Ouch mad expensive.  Bet I could do some full car wraps with those.

     

    Personally by looking at the Graphtecs and the Rolands.   The Graphtec cutters look well built and I like there layout and there LCD screen.   Haven't seen any good photos of the Roland to compared but I do like the way they look.  Then again I have not really looked either. 

     

    Either way I got my eye on the CE-6000.  Ill look around and see if I cant find one used.  But If I manage to save enough to by new by then Ill grab a new one.

  4. Posted

    If I was selling 100 decals a week I could have bought another machine by now.

    I have been saving money from selling these.  However I am also using the money to pay bills and all that other good stuff as well.  So soon enough Ill get another cutter.

     

     

     

    I have seen the new Graphtecs a couple places for $1495. And the price on used ones are def. coming down lately and they are workhorses.

    is the 1500 for the 24" Graphtecs.    Because around 1500 would be ideal.

  5. Posted

    Thanks for the reply guys.   Was just looking to see how others do it.  Curious if anyone did it the way I was or if there was a better way.   I have almost 100k images at the moment and takes for ever sometimes when im looking for something

     

     

    Funny thing is I never thought about doing a search to find what I was looking for.

     

    Been working on a system.    Thanks for the input guys. 

  6. Posted

    Ya sounds like you didnt have much of an option at that point.   I prolly would have done the same thing.

     

    I am currently putting away for the graphtec I wanna get.  I was looking at eh Graphtec CE-6000 24".  I only use 24" vinyl anyways.   and the SC I have is a 34".  So Id have more room with the 24" where I have my SC Series.

     

    You think the CE-6000 is worth the doe.   Or you have another in mind.   Dont wanna go over $2k though.

     

    But that is the one I was looking into buying.  I have heard alot about graphtec and roland.  Which would you buy if you had to buy one?

  7. Posted

    Hey guys.

     

       Quick question for everyone.   How do you all organize your vectors.    I have purchased many vector packs and of course obtained some free ones as well.  I sell roughly 70-100 decals weekly.    I am in the process of speeding up the fulfillment process.  I cut every order to order as I have 104 variations per item on Amazon and only have 250+ decals listed at the moment on Amazon.

     

    I need to speed up this process before the holidays and was wondering how everyone organizes there images and vectors for quick access.

     

    Alphabetical, numbers, or what not.

     

    I know my sku numbers on Amazon.   are made to match each variation for each item.   Example:  A1-RED-12   A for image Red for the Color and 12 for the Size.

     

    How would some of you organize these to make them accessible and able to be pulled into flexi or SB in a timely fashion.

     

    My ultimate goal is to speed up my process.  Which means pick, cut, weed, tape, package, ship.

     

    What would you all recommend?

     

  8. Posted

    Shipping can get steep.  But if its needed then sometimes its worth it.   Problem for me would be I dont have the extra funds to do something like that.   Would prolly have parts mailed here and try to repair and hope all went well.  I really need a backup cutter.   Don't have the room for it but I do think it would be a good investment for later on.   The what the heck.   I get the graphtec.   and I would have 3 cutters.  The software that the graph techs come with says that it can cut with multiple cutters at the same time unless im reading that wrong.   Maybe that woudl worth with the 3 that I would have.  cut my time cutting orders.   cut 3 colors at once.

     

    Really need that second cutter though.     Im afraid if something happens ill lose all my business and i would have to start  all over again.  Not a situation I want to be in.

  9. Posted

    Ya I agree with you on that one.   Could just be the drivers are not stable for the software we are using.   Works but doesnt communicate correctly.   I am currently saving for a Graphtec so hopefully after x-mas I can purchase that.  My worry right now is.  I have had this SC for a while now and make almost my full income now off vinyls.   I hope it doesnt crap the bed on me during a peak time.    Thinking about grabbing another cheap cutter for a back up incase I have problem.  I am currently shipping 70 to 100 decals (order) a week from Amazon alone.   If it dies im screwed.

  11. Posted

    I started about 2 years ago. Didnt know what a cutter was. I had a bike that I wanted to redo graphics and paint. Ended up selling the bike for supplies and equipment and now im at the point where vinyl and full time job just dont work. Dropping my employment to go full in the vinyl industry. Been making about 6 times what I make at work and mot of that is Amazon. Need to upgtade my cutter though. But otherwise im diving in. Love this business. Sometimes challenging, fun, and seems to be a good source of income.

  12. Posted

    Have you tried downloading the driver and reinstalling? May just be a driver issue. Mot sure about thoes cutters but I know my uscutter sc series does not show as a printer. Doesnt even show unless I look under device manager.. I would check on drivers. Download and install. Worth a try.

  15. Posted

    Just another update on the issue.  Been using the dryer sheets and no problems cutting.   I went a few hours without using them on the cutter and they vinyl and the problem started happening again.   I re-wiped the cutter down and the vinyl and problem went away.

     

    So definitely a static problem.

     

    Just an update.

  16. Posted

    lso 


    To learn how to use all the editing tools is priceless. 

    Yes it but I blew threw all my extra cash on getting supplies for the Holidays on Amazon, bought Flexible Pro, MS Office 2013 Professional Plus, a new Zebra 2844 Thermal Printer, Screen Print Supplies, Toner refills, and a load of shipping supplies.   At the moment I do believe it is steep but may be well worth the money in the long run.    My next purchase was going to be a Graphtec tabletop cutter (I think not sure yet).   getting close to the $7k mark already.

     

    I have a whole shop set up in a 200sq foot area with a closet and my work table takes up about 20 or so sq feet as it is.  then the computer desk.  I need more space for everything.   Didnt relize how popular vinyl was and now Im running a full bussiness and backing out of working because I dont have time for both.  Plus 2 kids running around 3 on the weekends.      Getting a little cramped in here.   lol

     

    This spring I was going to build a 9 X 24 room on top of my goose neck trailer I have.  Kinda of a mobile shop.  But everything was going to be built in so I can stay and leave when needed.  Got the blue prints for it all ready to go.  but thats on ly roughly 200 sq feet as well.  integrated computers, sat link for Internet and phone, sat tv, screen print area, work tables overhead storage for vinyls, ac, heating.   All lit with led lighting.   Seen one similar to it and I have to say it was awesome.  I wanted one and im getting to the point where it is needed.   I dont really want a full on store front.  to much overhead to deal with.  and a trailer I don't have to insure plus its already included in my renters insurance as long as its mine and on the property.  Made sure I checked on that before I upped my limits.

     

    I started making vinyl decals about 2 years ago or so and didnt relize it would grow to what it has.  Mainly online sales but things are getting busy around the area as well.   Doing shirts for the local businesses, store front signage, custom vehicle work partial wraps and such.  I do not really know where I want all of this to go from here.  I know I have wanted my own bussiness since I was little and it looks like I am building one.   I have to say I love it.   Dont like weeding much but thats about the only part I dont like.

     

    Anyways I think I got a little off topic there for a bit.

     

    I am going to play with the contour cutting and see what I can do with it.   Want to make some hardhat stickers as I am 8 miles from the heart of the natural gas industry here in North Eastern Pa.  I know when I was Fracking we collected them stickers.   Traded, Sold, Swapped.  So might be a good idea to get into here in my area as gas guys and trucks pass my house all day everyday.

     

    I will also start looking more into the documentation of Flexi and see what else I can learn about it.

     

    Thank for all the replies guys.   Sorry for going off topic.   Had to let it out as there is no one else here that wants to hear about vinyl.   Lol 

  17. Posted

    I will check out youtube pricey for the info when I am sure I can find it online.

     

    Thanks though guys great information.    Loojks like there is loads to learn.   I basically only know how to size, vectorize, cut, set up cutter of course and well that is about it.  import save.  Come to think about it I dont know hardly anything about Flexi.

     

    Loads to learn.

  18. Posted

    AHhhhhh..   Did not know that.   Have not done any jobs that required contour and I did not know that FlexiSign has this feature built in.   I think I need to do some reading as I only use these programs for vectoring and cutting. 

     

    This is good to know.   Something I will have to play with.

     

    To let you know I have only had Flexi for about a week now or so.  So still playing and finding features I did not know it had.

     

    Anything else that might be useful to know about it?

  20. Posted

    I have an SC Series cutter and the stand that it came with I removed the rubber feet and mounted it right to my stand.  Full metal bottom against the 4 contact points that the stand has.   I do have a ground wire that I had made from a solid copper wire that was used for grounding in a lab.   Still had a static problem.   Dryer sheets work wonders.  Place some in your rolls of vinyl, near your vinyl, and I wipe down the cutter with them as well.  Had a major problem lastnight threw today with Flexi not being able to cut.  Stopped half way threw.   Wiped down all my vinyl and the cutter with the dryer sheets and walla everything works again.

  23. Posted

    I like the guy above me.  GO COWBOYS.... lol

     

    I have used several vectors from a few popular sites for the Pittsburgh logo and several of them are in layers.  And will cut multiple times.

     

    What cut software are you using?

     

    If you need another logo that you can test with let me know.   Found one just this morning as someone wanted one.  Its been cut and is in only 1 layer.

  24. Posted

    I find this weird because I have been having a problem cutting with FlexiSign Pro.    SignBlazer and SignCut have no problems cutting.  However I changed ports and all that and still had a problem with the cutter stopping halfway threw a cut.

     

    After reading these posts I wiped down my cutter with dryer sheets and have made 4 successful cuts.  Little strange huh.

     

    As I said in another post.    Makes me wonder if the communication from Flexi is sensitive compared to SignBlazer and SignCut.

     

    And I am using USB without a key-spanner. 

     

    I put dryer sheets in all my rolls of vinyl now and have a few hanging around near the cutter until I can buy some static spray.   As winter is coming and static will increase in the air.  So I am hoping that is was my whole problem and nothing else.

     

    Thank you guys.    

  25. Posted

    Well here is an update.    I am now believing it is a STATIC problem.

     

    I have my stand grounded but that doesnt seem to matter.  I read another post saying that people where having the same issues with static.

     

    I tried cutting after port change and all that and it did the same thing as before.

     

    Then I wiped the cutter down with dryer sheets and I just cut 4 decals without problems.   But it is still kinda weird that SignBlazer and SignCut Pro dont have an issue cutting but Flexi does.  I am wondering if Flexi's communication is a little more sensitive then the other programs.

     

    Find that odd.

     

    Anyone have insight on this?